Threats Posed by Climate Change and Other Attacks

American National Security: Threats Posed by Climate Change and Other Attacks
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American National Security: Threats Posed by Climate Change and Other Attacks
The discussion on the threats and challenges that Americans will face in the 21st century constitutes the bulk of American national security management. National security management entails a beforehand assessment of national security threats and assessment. In the wake of the increasing menace of climate change, a significant part of national security assessment involves the assessment of threats attributed to climate change. This paper discusses the mechanism and dynamics of the national security assessment process necessary to estimate the extent and magnitude of the effect of climate change on national security. The discussion centers around issues like water-flood energy nexus and potential threats posed by the rising sea level on defense. Besides, the negative impacts of electromagnetic pulse and pre and post-infection measures against various microbial pandemics are also included in the discussion. Ultimately, the paper aims to project a crystal-clear picture of the threats to American national security in the 21st century and provide a priority list essential to tackle these threats systematically.
Identification and proper understanding of the risk associated with national security make up half of the risk management process at the national level. These processes are the preliminary requirement for formulating a sound and comprehensive risk management policy to safeguard America's national and international interests. As defined in U.S. Homeland Security Risk Management Doctrine, threats could be natural or anthropogenic events, or they could be individuals and groups with the potential to jeopardize life, property, and other aspects of human life (2011). In this regard, identification of the context of risk assessment is the aspect that provides a foundation to the whole risk assessment process; in consequence, based on the desired aims and objectives in the view of the context of risk assessment, risks specific to the context are identified.
In addition to apparent risks, unusual, less likely, and emerging risks are also considered based on multifarious hypothetical scenarios to assess the probable and less likely harms associated with them (U.S. Dept of Homeland Security, 2011). In the wake of grave challenges that climate change poses to U.S. national security, it is vital to estimate the type, nature, and extent of various climate change threats to American national security. One of the most significant security threats associated with climate change is domestic and international social and economic instability and conflicts that will lead to security challenges for the U.S. government. As evident by the social and economic turmoil occurring in several African, Asian, and Middle East countries, ramifications of climate change in the form of excessive floods, droughts, and extreme and unusual weather patterns, the United States must step up the process of putting up stiff resilience to these threats (CNA Military Advisory Board, 2014).
Additionally, since there has been a rapid expansion in the coastal urban settlements, even within a short span of seven years, millions of people have made a settlement in the coastal and urban areas, and these areas have become a center of international trade, commerce, and other economic activities that safeguard national interests. Therefore, the impact of climate change, especially the rising sea level, may significantly disrupt financial undertakings, thereby posing a direct threat to national security across the border (CNA Military Advisory Board, 2014). Moreover, the rapid melting of the arctic ice also poses security challenges to both America and the international community. Due to the emergence of more possible routes to the Arctic, there is a potential danger of increased human activities concentrating chiefly on fishing, shipping, and mining. Consequently, such human activities will threaten the security and stability of this region. Concerning America, the faulty Arctic security management involving division of responsibilities between two Combatant Commands (CCMDs) under DOD's Unified Command Plan makes rapid action and response very difficult (CNA Military Advisory Board, 2014).
According to the assessment of The U.S. National Intelligence Council, there will be a 35% rise in the global population of upper-middle-class people, which will put undue pressure on the demand for food and energy (CNA Military Advisory Board, 2014). However, as the global temperature is mounting due to human-induced climate change, meeting this unprecedented demand for energy, water, and food to tackle the temperature rise will be a difficult challenge. Thus, the water-food-energy nexuses spurred by rapid population growth and climate change will pose grave challenges to national and international security as lack of these resources will lead to social unrest, and social and economic conflict will emerge that will directly threaten the national stability and security (CNA Military Advisory Board, 2014). Consequently, concerning American interests, this situation will lead to soc...